Buttonhole guide for facilitating layout of buttonholes



M. HEIMLICH Filed March 29, 1950 BUTTONHOLE GUIDE FOR FACILITATINGLAYOUT OF' BUTTONHOLES INVENToR. /w/LTOA/ Ham/CH BY 1 f 1 Aoefv PatentedOct. 14, 1952 BUTToNHoLE GIDE Foa FAoILITAriNG `LAYOUT oF BUTToNHoLEsMilton Heimlich, Larchmont, N. Y. Application March ,29, 1950, SerialNo. 152,625

My present invention relates to a device for facilitating the lay-out ofbuttonholes. y

It is a general objectof the invention to provide an inexpensive andhandy tool of simple construction, for use by dressmakers and tailors toaid inthe proper preliminary laying outof buttonholes to be formed in agarment or the like.

I It is necessary to make a buttonhole longer than the diameter of thebutton for which it is intended, morder to allow forfree passage of thebutton .through the buttonhole. This is due to the fact that as the holeis widened by passage of the button its length is decreased by an amountslightly less than the thickness of the button. The `buttonhole lengthshould therefore exceed the diameter of the button by an amountapproximately equal to the thickness of the button. Since buttons differwidely both. as to diameter and thickness, their correspondingbuttonhole lengths. must also diifer to compensate for both dimensions.y

The present tool not only enables one to determine quickly the properlengths of buttonholes to compensate for button thicknesses, but servesalso as a convenient means for marking the spacing between buttonholes.

More specifically, my invention lies in the provision of a tool whichwill automatically Vdetermine the length of a buttonhole needed for agiven button, and which requires only one button gauging operation, i.e., one in which a single button measurement will` yield the buttonholelength without the need for separately measur ing both the diameter andthe thickness of the button.

I achieve these objects, and such other objectives and advantages as mayhereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustrated in theappended drawings. wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan View showing a tool constructed in accordance withmyinvention and shown inoperative relation to a button;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the tool, with the parts occupyingthe same positions as in Figule 1;

Figure 3 is a sidev elevation similar to Figure 2 but with a differentbutton being gauged;

Figure 4 is an end View of the device with the button omitted, as viewedalong the direction 4 4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner of application of thebuttonhole guide to an illustrative lay-out of buttonholes.

The buttonhole guide illustrated herein comprises a iiat relativelyrigid strip or base member 6 claims. (o1. as rin III which may be formedof any material suitable for use as a rule or for measuring purposes,suchv as metal, plastic, wood, etc. The strip is preferably thin havingupper and lower surfaces II( and I2, side edges I3 and end edges I4. Oneor.y

tion 2D is a nger which projects outwardly,.I i. e., laterally,preferably from the calibrated edge' I3 of the strip, and having anindex edge 23:

which is preferably aligned lwith the zero marking of the scale I5 andthe base or intersection line 22 of the inclined surface 2 I.

The strip I0 is provided with a longitudinal slot I6 having side wallsITwhich are parallel to the edges I3. Disposed Withinithe slides 3U and3l. Each slideis preferably of resilient material, such as metal, formedrof an initially flat strip and provided `with a medial loop portion 32which extends above the upper surface of the guide I6. Below the loopare neck'lportions 33 and a pair of foot portions 34 and 35il turnedoutwardly to lie-adjacent to the undersurface i 2 of the guide strip;Each slide'is formed with an indexing edge on its foot portion 35. Theindexing edge on the slide 30 is designated 36,'and the correspondingedge on the slide 3| is designated 37.

Slide 3| constitutes an adjustable abutment in. tended to cooperate withthe elevation 20, and may, for example, carry a member 38 cemented orotherwise secured to the slide in such manner as to present a hatsurface 39 in opposition to the fixed and inclined surface 2I. Member 38is so connected to the slide 3| as to move therewith, and its surface 39is aligned with the indexing edge 31.

The slide construction described may be simply fabricated from stripstock of resilient'material by rst stamping and forming the loop andneck portions; the foot portions may then be inserted through slot tionsare then bent outwardly into their iinal positions. When thus formed andassembled each slide is freely movable along slot t6, the resilience ofthe loop portion exerting pressure outwardly against slot edges I1through the neck portions 33 to hold the slide frictionally in anydesired position.

The guide is used as follows: In order to determine the proper length ofthe buttonhole to be formed for any given button, the button is laidslot are separate I6, from the top and the foot poron the upper surfaceofthe guide near the elevation and the slide 3| is pushed toward ituntil the button is snugly interposed between the inclined surface 2|and the upright surface 39. Where the surface 2| is formed at a 45 angleto the strip l0, an isosceles triangle is subtended between the buttonand the surfaces 2| and in which triangle the two equal sides are equalto the thickness of the button (see Fig. 2). Therefore the length of thebuttonhole measured between the indexing edges 23 and 31 is equal to thediameter of the button plus its thickness. If buttons of varyingthickness are applied to the guide in the above manner, the lengthsmeasured between edges 23 and 31 will correspondingly vary. Compare, forexample, Figures 2 and 3 wherein the relative positions of the elementsare indicated when the guide is applied first to a thick button A (Fig.2) and then to a button B having the same diameter, but thinner (Fig.3).

It has been found that placing the surface 2| at a. 45 angle yieldssatisfactory results. However, other angles may be used if desired, toprovide a different button-thickness compensatory adjustment.

The slide is utilized as an index to the spacing between the holes. If,for example, vin a garment C (Fig. 5), it is desired to form a row ofbuttonholes D, for a given size button A, and the buttonholes are to bespaced by a distance S, slide 30 is moved to a position in which thedistance between its edge 36 and the fixed edge 23 is exactly S. Theguide I0 is then laid on the cloth C with edge 23 at a selected startingpoint and the' cloth is marked at edge 36. The guide is then lifted toshift edge 23 to the last-made mark, and the new location of edge 36 ismarked, and so on. This procedure is repeated until the entire row ofholes D, with spacings S, is completed.

The button A is then placed on the guide |0 and the slide 3| positionedagainst it, in the manner previously described, to determine the properlength L of the hole D. The button may then be removedand the guideapplied to the cloth at each of the previously-made markings, as shownat the right, in Figure 5. The required-and exact length L of each holeis then marked on the cloth or may be cut directly into the cloth, bycutting between finger edges 23 and 31. Having thus laid out thebuttonholes on the material with the desired spacing and the exactlength, each hole may be cut, sewn, and completed in the usual manner.

While I have described my invention as applied to the making ofbuttonholes it may ybe capable of usein other fields. It will also beunderstood that those skilled in the art may make modifications in thematerial, shape and details of the exemplified embodiment withoutnecessarily departing from the scope and spiritof the appended claims.

p Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, whatIclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Y l. A buttonhole guide comprising a base member, a fixed element havingan overhanging surface projecting upwardly .from said base member, afixed `indicating finger carried by and projecting from said base memberadjacent to said fixed element, a movable element projecting upwardly 4from said base member and provided with an indicating finger projectingin the same direction as said fixed finger, said movable element andfinger being slidably carried by said base member so as to allow theengagement on said base member and between said projecting elements ofbuttons of Varying diameter and thickness, the distance between saidfingers varying in proportion to varying button diameters and also tovarying button thicknesses whereby said distance serves to indicate theproper length of buttonhole required for the particular button engagedbetween said projecting elements.

2. A `buttonhole guide as set forth in claim l wherein said overhangingsurface is formed at an angle of substantially 45 to said base member.

3. .A buttonhole guide comprising: a, fiat member for application tomaterial in which a buttonhole is to be formed, a. fixed element havingan overhanging surface projecting upwardly from the upper surface oflsaid flat member, a fixed indicating finger havingV an edge aligned'withthe lowermost edge of said element, a second element projecting upwardlyfrom said flat member and provided with an upstanding surface facing toward said fixed' element and an indicating finger having an edge alignedwith said upstandingv surface, said second element being slidablycarried by said at member so as to allow the engagement on said flatmember and between said projecting. elements of buttons of varyingdiameter and. thickness, the space between saidngers indicatiingtheproper length of buttonhole to be` formed to compensate for buttonsof varying thickness.

4. A buttonhole guide as described in claim .3 wherein said overhangingsurface is formed at an angle of substantially 45 with the uppersurface. of said flat member.

5. A buttonhole guide as described in claim 3 wherein said indicatingfingers project from one edge of the flat member and said edge isprovided with length markings.

6. Abuttonhole guide comprising: a at strip, an inclined surface fixedtoand extending .from the upper surface of the strip near one end thereoffor engaging one edge of a button,.a fixed index finger adjacent'to theinclined surface and projecting from anedge of the strip,.an elongatedsloti'n the strip parallel to said edge, and a slide movable in saidslot and. presenting. a surface for engaging the opposite edge ofthebuttonI said slide having'an indicating finger projecting beyond'saidedge of vthe strip.

MILTON HEIMLICH.

REFERENCES CITED lThe following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

